The Clifton clarion., 1887-08-17
HELD RIP AGAIN.

The west-bound passenger train
 on the Southern Pacific WIS held
 mp last Wednesday night at about
 9:45 at the same place as the one
 in April last. Latest particulars
 would indicate that the work was
 done by only two men. The rob-
 bery was accomplished as follows
 As the train was taking the ur
 grade through the cut near the
 Cienega a red light was noticed by
 the engineer. who knowing of the former mold up" surmised that
 there was another gang on hand for the same purpose, but recog-
 nizing the danger signals imme-
 diately applied the full force of the
 air brakes. The engine then ran
 across some torpedoes and not
 slackening its spede fusilade was
 opened from the banks of the cut
 upon the engineer and fireman.
 Soon after the engine run on to q switch which had been opened and left the track and ditched itself by turning half over. Both the en- gineer and fireman jumped from
 it as soon as it turned, sustaining
 but slight injuries. As the trains
 speed slackened the robbers fired
 several shots. two of which entered
 the express car and two the
 sleeper. Brakeman Zabriskie, not
 knowing the cause of the sudden stoppage of the train, stepped down from one of the cars, and as as he did so a bullet whistled past his ears and he rapidly remounted again. The greatest consternation followed and several passengers who stuck their heads forth to see what was going on were ordered to take them in. Mir. Grafton, U. $. mail messenger, was then or dered down from his car. The robbers. after trying to persuade Wells Fargo's messenger to open the door of his express car and not succeeding, proceeded to blow it open. Grafton then was lifted through the hole made by the ex- plosion and prevailed upon c. F. Smith. the messenger, who was in clined to hold his position by force, to come out. As he did so he was hit over the head by one of the masked men with a revolver, who exclaimed: "You d-d s-n of a b-b, you won't play us any more tricks by hiding the money in the stove." The robbers then proceed ed to rifle the car, keeping two or three found in and about it with their hands above their heads. A. NJ. Gault, who is connected with the Wells Fargo Company, was in the express car with Smith, but thought it would be folly to try to make fight with the robbers, who threatened to blow the car to at oms. The robbers occupied ex- actly one hour and ten minutes in their work.
 At last account the robbers have not been captured. The trail was easily followed by Sheriff Shibell and party to a cave about twelve miles from the cienega, where was found lot of cooking utensils and provisions. After leaving here the robbers went in a direction toward Pantano, but after following the trail some distance further the posse lost it through a heavy storm, which came up and com pletely obliterated all traces of their course. It is believed that the bandits will not be captured, and, as before, escape scot free. The amount secured by them is estimated at between S20,000 and $50, ,000. One thousand dollars in Mexican dollars was found on the bank above the scene of the rob bery, where it had been dropped by the thieves, together with two linen dusters, winch had been used as dummies, thus accounting for the report that the crime had been committed by four men.